“I really don’t want to meet him. He doesn’t exactly stand out,” Ranjana complained. “I’d much rather talk to Mohan. He’s got a nice appearance and a friendly smile. But Raghav? He gives me the creeps. Just look at his thick brows—there’s nothing romantic about him at all!”
“Romantic features, you say?” Ranjana’s dad chimed in with a chuckle. “Don’t let looks dictate your judgments! Just ask your mother about the charm I had, despite my likeness to a caveman.” He nudged his wife playfully.
“Dad, come on,” Ranjana replied. “I’m set to meet Mohan this Sunday, and I promise if he doesn’t impress or if he turns me down, I’ll definitely connect with your friend’s son, Raghav.”
With that, the conversation ended, and knowing how resolute his daughter was, Ranjana’s father chose not to press the issue further.
He was in for a shock, however, when Ranjana burst through the door after meeting Mohan, announcing her eagerness to meet Raghav the following week.
Her parents were silent, but she felt compelled to share. “He’s definitely attractive and charming, but he can be quite domineering. He didn’t even ask what I wanted before ordering the food,” she said with a grimace. “Plus, he seems to think women are just there to be mocked and their role is to follow his lead.”
Concerned, her parents warned her that she might be jumping to conclusions. “No, I need just one conversation to understand someone’s true character,” she asserted confidently, channelling her psychology expertise.
So here she found herself at Raghav’s home. He had hurt his foot while climbing down a ladder and couldn’t meet her in public. Ranjana entered the beautifully decorated house.
Raghav, as depicted in photos, wasn’t traditionally handsome, but there was something captivating about his smile.
As Ranjana stepped into his room, she was pleasantly surprised by how neat and organized it was. There was no way he could have tidied up in such a short time. It was clear that this room was always immaculate, adorned with vision boards he had crafted himself; they were stunning.
“Mind if I check these out?” Ranjana asked, and he nodded in agreement.
“Would you like coffee or tea? I can grab something while you look at the boards.” He flashed a warm smile, and she returned it, politely declining in order to not burden his injured foot.
Each vision board was a collage filled with quotes—some celebrating a girl’s beauty, others her kindness and empathetic nature. Ranjana couldn’t help but notice that several slots on each board were left blank.
As if he could sense her curiosity, Raghav explained, “Those empty slots are meant for pictures of the woman whose traits are described next to them—I mean, whoever becomes my wife.”
“If you’re okay with it, I can send you some of my pictures to fill those spots,” Ranjana said, a new understanding of romance dawning on her.
The smile on his face, she felt, was most charming.